The Story of Ripsnarl
by wolf12373
Summary: An account of James Harrington's life before he became the killer known as Ripsnarl.
1. Chapter 1

The Story of Ripsnarl

"Daddy!" Emme and Eric flew across the room attached themselves to their father. James Harrington smiled. It was good to see his family again. He crouched and hugged his two children close.

"I'm glad to see you too."

His wife, Clarissa, appeared from the living room and he felt another swell of joy. He managed to untangle himself from the kids and made his way over to her. It still amazed him how beautiful she was. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "It's so good to see you again," he said

"I'm glad you made it back."

James sat at the kitchen table with his family. The three of them listened while he recounted his latest adventure.

"Thomas called out from crows nest that he had spotted a ship. When I looked through the glass I saw it belonged to the Bloodsail Bucaneers."

"Who are they?" Clarissa asked.

"A group of pirates."

"Pirates? Cool!" Emme and Erik cried.

James took another spoonful of his murloc eye soup his wife had made. "These were not the cool kind of pirates. The buccaneers are very bad people." His children looked disappointed. "I saw that they were going after a merchant ship and we followed them. They turned away when they saw us coming, but I know one day they are going to stay and fight."

"You know I worry about you," Clarissa admitted

"Of course, but that's my job."

Later James was sitting in the living room watching his children play. Erik had his toy soldiers and Emme had her dolls in their house. Clarissa entered holding a small green linen shirt.

"Erik, I've mended your shirt for you. Do try to take better care of it this time."

"Sure, Mom." Erik replied without looking up from the battle between the Stormwind soldiers and trolls.

Then someone knocked on the door. Clarissa went to go answer it. It was James' friend Marcus. He waved to the kids and gave Clarissa a short bow.

"Could I borrow your husband for a moment, Mrs. Harrington?"

"Of course."

James met Marcus outside. They shook hands.

Marcus spoke first. "It's good to have you back in Duskwood. Did you take care of those pirates yet?"

James shrugged. "Still working on it."

"I see. So how do you like being captain?"

James thought for a moment. "It's different. I have always wanted my own ship, but sometimes I miss doing everything myself." James looked down at his hands that had always been tough with callous from pulling ropes and other physical work at sea that were now starting to soften. Then he looked at Marcus. "How has the militia been going?"

Darkshire was located in Duskhaven, a considerable distance from the Alliance capital of Stormwind, so the people generally had to fend for themselves. Marcus was a member of the local militia that kept the peace and fought off external threats such as trolls, undead, and ogres.

Marcus paused. "That is what I actually wanted to talk to you about."

"What do you mean?"

"Something new has come to the forest. The other day I found a deer corpse. I saw what looked like claw and bite marks, but I know it was not done by a wolf. The deer had not been simply killed. It had been completely mutilated. Pieces of it were everywhere."

"What kind of creature would do that?" James wondered.

"That's the problem," Marcus continued, "No one has any idea. People have been finding livestock and wild animals in similar condition, and no one has any idea who or what could be responsible."

"What are you going to do?" James asked.

"We've been investigating all the incidents, questioning people, and searching the woods. If we don't stop whatever is doing this soon I have a feeling we are going to be finding human victims next."

The two men decided to go for a walk while they continued their conversation. James noted that his friend did not look well. His face was creased with worry and he had dark circles under his eyes. Instead of standing rigidly straight he was hunched over a bit. James had never seen him like this before. Marcus was the strongest person James knew, physically and emotionally.

"This is a crisis situation," Marcus went on, "We have been trying to keep it secret, but you know everyone will find out sooner than later. I'm worried about a panic starting. The militia is going to need all the help it can get on this one. That is why I need to ask something of you."

"I've just returned from months at sea."

Marcus held up a hand. "I know that you have been away from your family and need to be with them, but we really need everyone we can get and you are one of the only people that I trust with my life. I am only asking you to join until this is taken care of. I promise I will find time for you to be with your family. Please James."

James thought about what his friend had said. "I will do anything to protect my family and I'm not going to say no when a friend asks for help. So yes, I will do whatever I can to help you with this."

Marcus looked relieved. "Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

James left home early the next day. At first he thought the weather was overcast, but when he looked up he could not see any clouds. The sky somehow just looked…darker. He dismissed the idea and continued towards the town square.

Marcus was waiting for him there when he arrived. Both men nodded to each other.

"So, what's the plan?" James asked.

"Someone reported hearing gunfire from Addle's Stead last night, so we'll start there."

They headed out along the road through the woods. James noticed that the forest seemed more quiet than usual. The sounds and squirrels and birds going about their businesses seemed strangely absent.

They asked about in town and were directed to Mr. Oconner's farm.

As they approached the farm house a man came out to greet them. After they had exchanged introductions Marcus asked, "Did something happen on your farm last night?"

"Funny you should mention that," the farmer replied, "I think you're gonna want to see this." Mr. Oconner lead them across a grassy field. On the other side of the farmhouse they came across a dead cow. "It aint a pretty sight. That's fer sure," the farmer remarked. Indeed it was not. James had to make an effort to keep his breakfast down. It had been some time since he had looked upon carnage.

Marcus looked unfazed. "Tell me what happened," he asked.

The man took a moment to collect his thoughts. "Well, last night I woke up knowing something aint right. My cows was real uneasy about something. Then I heard poor Betsy here mooin' her poor head off. I ran out with my boomstick. It was dark, but I thought I saw some fella standin' over Betsy. I hollered first and then tried to light him up, but I don't shoot so straight no more. Then he dropped down low like a dog and ran off. Thata way."

Marcus looked puzzled. "It was standing like a man, but when it left it was on all-fours? That doesn't make sense."

The farmer just shrugged. "Hell if I know."

"OK, thank you for your time. If it's allright with you we would like to have a look around."

The farmer nodded and left. While Marcus inspected the victim James headed in the direction the farmer had indicated that the killer left in. He noticed something in the dirt and bent to pick it up. It was a bloody shred of grey fur.

James and Marcus spent the rest of the day searching for anyone else who might have seen the killer. They found a few who said they had. The accounts were inconsistent and not very helpful. Sometimes the monster ran on two legs, other times on four. Some people said it had glowing eyes or torn clothing while others did not.

Marcus sighed. "This is not getting us anywhere. I'm going to have my friend who is a mage and an alchemist look at the fur you found. Maybe that will give us something. Good work today. I will see you tomorrow."

James made his way back home. As he approached the house he heard shouting from the woods and his pulse quickened. He rushed towards the sound and was relieved to find that it was only his children.

"What kind of trouble are you two into now?" James asked with a smirk.

"We're saving Stormwind from an orc invasion, Emme volunteered. She held a long stick in one hand like a staff and had herself wrapped in a worn out bed sheet. "I'm Jania Proudmore," she declared "Prettiest and bestist mage in Azeroth." She waved her hands about and then thrust them forward. "Kittenwafflelumps!" she shouted as her mighty spell decimated the legions of advancing orcs.

"I'm Audin Wyrn, king of Stormwind," Erick proudly stated. He swung his twig about to cut down the ranks of his imaginary enemies.

"Well I'm Ragnaros!" James roared. "And I'm going to eat your souls!" The children shrieked with delight as he chased them back to the house.


	3. Chapter 3

The next evening James and Marcus were combing the woods with several other militia members, hoping to find the killer, or at least some more clues. They had decided to try working at night since that was when most of the incidents had occurred. They had brought along lanterns, but had them shut so as to not give away their positions. The dim light from the moon was sufficient for the moment. When they had first headed out James had been tense, but now he started to relax and let his mind wander.

When he was younger he had always enjoyed late night walks in the woods by himself, hearing the leaves crunch under his boots, gazing up at the moon through the branches.

He was suddenly torn back to the present by a scream. The lanterns were opened and he was joined by the others in rushing towards the sound. They came across a woman on her knees sobbing over a wounded man.

Marcus took charge of the situation. "Rebecca, Brian, get this man inside and see what you can do for him. Everyone else, I want a sweep of the area. Whatever did this might still be around."

James got the woman to her feet and led her into the house. Rebecca, Brian, and Marcus followed behind.

Inside the house James helped the woman sit down on the couch, and then he and Marcus sat down next to her. The two other militiamen took the man into the bedroom. James and Marcus waited until the woman's wracking sobs subsided into weary sniffs.

"My name is Marcus, and this is my Friend James. What's your name?"

"Mary," she whimpered.

"It's great to meet you Mary," Marcus continued. They both shook her limp hand. "I know you're feeling pretty bad right now, but we're going to need your help, OK? Can I just ask you some questions?" Mary nodded. "All right, Mary. Can you tell me what happened?"

She hesitated for a few seconds and then began. "Let's see. I'm not really sure. Fred and me were inside the house. We heard this noise outside. He took the axe and went to have a look. I said not to, but he did anyways. Then this thing came at him. It was hard to see on account of the dark and all. But it was like a man, but bigger I think. Hairy, too. And big ears. That's all I can really remember. I'm sorry. When I saw everything happen I just kind of froze, you know. I wanted to do something, but I just stood there. Guess I would be dead now too if I had done something, but I still feel bad"

The two other militia members emerged from the bedroom. Mary, Marcus, and James looked at them. They shook their heads. Mary buried her face in her hands.

A few days later when James made his way into town he was surprised by how quiet it was. The central square was nearly deserted. The few people he saw wore grim expressions as they hurried about, glancing around nervously. The dark sky reflected everyone's depressed mood. James and Marcus had done everything they could to prevent the word from spreading, but by now just about everyone in Duskwood knew what had happened. Now the question everyone would be asking themselves was who would be the next to die. Additional uniformed militia members had been posted around town to give some sense of security, but it did little to lessen peoples' fear.

James met Marcus. "I've heard back from Peter, so we're going to be paying him a visit today. I've know him a long time and he's always been able to help me out with anything relating to magic."

Marcus knocked on the door. It opened to reveal a man standing there in dark robes.

"It is good that you have come. I think that you will want to hear what I have learned." They followed him through his house. It was sparse with only a few pieces of furniture and no decoration. He led them into a basement. The back wall was lined with full book shelves. A long table was cluttered with test tubes, beakers, and jars full of animal parts and other strange things James could not identify. Dried plants hung from the ceiling and one corner had barrels full of mold. The windows were covered. James figured That Peter spent most of his time down here since his skin was so pale. The only light came from a few lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

"You'll have to excuse me for a moment, "Peter said, "I was just finishing an experiment." He made his way over to the table and mixed a few chemicals until a puff of smoke rose from one of the beakers. He mumbled to himself and quickly scribbled a few notes in a large book.

Then he turned his attention back to James and Marcus.

"About the flesh you found. I was able to distill and analyze the blood from it. First, it was not human at all, though I found a hint of night elf in it."

"That doesn't make sense," Marcus said, "The night elves are our allies. Besides, they are all on Kalimdor."

"That is indeed puzzling," agreed Peter. "Secondly, I also found traces of druidic magic."

James was puzzled. "I thought that was all about healing and doing good?"

Peter chuckled softly. "Ah, but magic is only a tool, not good or evil in of itself."

"I guess that makes sense, "agreed James, "now what about the sky getting darker?"

"I believe that is related to whatever is in the woods. The same sort of magic has begun permeating this region. Its source must be nearby. Unfortunately, this is all the information I have right now. I will continue my research and experimentation. In the meantime I recommend you try to locate the source of the magic and whatever creature or creatures are involved with it. Though I must advise caution; whatever forces you are up against are indeed formidable."


	4. Chapter 4

The next time James and Marcus met, Marcus informed James that another attack had taken place. Fortunatly, the victim had survived. They would be paying a visit to the man's house.

When they entered they saw a man James recognized as William lying in bed. A bandage was wrapped around his arm and he appeared to be sleeping. His wife, Beverly, was at his side. Both of them were good friends of James' family.

"How is he doing?" asked James.

"There's a lot of damage to his arm," replied Beverly, "but he'll live. He was in pain real bad, so the doctor gave him a sleeping potion. He'll be out for awhile."

"Did you find out what happened to him?" inquired Marcus.

Beverly nodded. "He had been out hunting. Said that some kind of monster came at him. He managed to fight it off, but not before it bit out a chunk of his arm. That's all I can tell you for now. Will can tell you the rest when he wakes up, I'm sure."

"Thank you Beverly," said James, "I'm glad he made it. We can come back this afternoon when he is awake. Let us know if you need anything."

That afternoon James and Marcus returned. However, before they got to the door they heard a scream from inside the house. The door swung open, and Beverly rushed out and threw herself around James. Her face was stricken with terror.

"Beverly, What is it?" he asked. She pointed to the open doorway.

They heard some snarling and snorting from inside. Then a creature out of James' worst nightmares emerged. It was shaped like a man, but its entire body was covered in fur. It had a head like a wolf, with a snout full of dagger like teeth. Its eyes were solid purple in color. On the creature's arm was a tattered bandage. Beverly retreated behind James. James and Marcus drew their swords. With a growl the beast charged. Acting on reflex, James leapt forward and ran his blade through the monster's chest.

James, Marcus, and Peter stood around a small table in Peter's basement. On the table was the creature James had slain. Even though it was dead, the beast's presence still unnerved James. He half expected it to jump up and tear his head off, but this did not happen. So he continued to stand there and listen to Peter.

"And you're telling me you believe this abomination was previously William Jones?" James and Marcus nodded. "I find that both disturbing and intriguing. Based on everything you have told me it seems that this condition is not unlike rabies. Perhaps there is a way to treat it" Peter put on a pair of heavy leather gloves, grabbed a ball of cotton, and swabbed inside the creature's mouth. He then dropped the ball into a beaker.

The three men heard a creak on the stairs and looked to see Beverly. She came over to the table and looked down at what used to be her husband. Even in the dim light James could see how she had changed. The bight smile he remembered her having was gone. She had always been graceful, but now she moved in a lethargic fashion.

"Hard to believe it's him," she said quietly, "But I know. I saw it happen myself." She reached out a hand and slowly ran her fingers through the fur on the monster's head. "Could I have a moment alone with him?" Marcus and Peter looked unsure.

"Yes," responded Peter, "We will wait outside." He indicated for the other men to follow him and then headed for the stairs.

Beverly cane out the door and walked past the three men with her head down. James caught up with her and pulled her aside. "I'm so sorry," he said.

"It's good that you killed him," she murmured without looking up, "Otherwise he would be stuck out in the woods with the rest of them. At least now he can rest."


	5. Chapter 5

A few days later James answered the door and saw Marcus standing there.

"Good news," said Marcus, "Peter came up with something that might keep us from turning into those… things." He took out two vials filled with a light blue liquid and handed one to James. "He wasn't sure it would work or how long it would last if it did, but I guess it's better than nothing. He needed some rare ingredients for these, so we're lucky to get the only ones. Shall we share a drink like old times?"

That brought a grin to James' face. In their younger years James and Marcus had spent their fair share of nights drinking and carousing; however, James had cut that out after becoming a family man. The two men clinked their vials together and knocked them back.

That evening, James, Marcus, and several other militia members were out patrolling the woods. Everyone was especially uneasy after what had happened to William. Now they knew what they were up against, but that didn't help anyone feel better. They stayed close and kept their weapons drawn.

Everyone turned when they heard what sounded like a group of people tearing through the forest. A moment later a pack of the beasts was upon them. James tasted metal in his mouth as the adrenaline surged though his body. The fright he had felt a moment before was smothered by razor sharp focus and determination. James lifted his sword and rushed into the fray. The beasts lacked swords and armor, but they made up for it with their speed and ferocity. The humans were hard-pressed to stand their ground.

One of the beasts dodged James' sword strike, lunged in, and bit into his shoulder. He cried out and nearly dropped his sword. The pain was terrible, but it was nothing compared to the dread he suddenly felt. Was he going to become one of the beasts? No time for worrying now. He needed to stay alive. He kicked his attacker back and cut them down.

The monsters saw that they had lost the upper hand and retreated. They split up and took off in different directions. James chased after one. He was hard pressed to keep up with his target, especially in the dark. And it was the dark that kept him from seeing the fallen tree that he tripped over. On his way down he struck his head on a rock and blacked out.

While he was out he fell into a nightmare that was an endless, black ocean that he was drowning in. He saw one of the beasts sprinting through the woods, close to the ground on all fours. As he watched he slowly came to realize that the beast was him. James fought franticly for the surface.

James woke to the sensation of cold water droplets striking his face. He felt pain in his stomach, though that was not what bothered him. Something was wrong. His body felt different somehow. He held up his hands in front of his face and was horrified to see that they were actually furry paws ending in black claws. He sat up awkwardly and looked to see that most of his clothing had been torn away and his entire body was covered in fur. He had become one of the beasts! His reaction was to cry out in shock, but it came out as a bark. He clamped his mouth shut and ended up knocking his teeth together. He ran his tounge over them. They were thin and ended in sharp points.

He tried to stand up and ended up falling down. He was not used to this new body. After some more effort he was able to stand and take a few awkward steps. With some practice he was able to move about normally. He began walking in no particular direction. He needed to do some thinking.

He soon realized the pain he felt was hunger. But it was worse than any hunger he had felt before. No, he wasn't hungry, he was ravenous.

By chance James stumbled across a grove of wild apple trees. He found that in his new form it was surprisingly easy for him to scrabble up one. He began tearing apples from their branches and gorging himself, stuffing the fruit into his snout whole and hardly bothering to chew.

He was then struck with a sudden wave of nausea and lost his footing. He plummeted down from the branches, striking the ground painfully with a yelp. Before he had a chance to recover he felt his stomach clench and he vomited out the apples onto the ground. He spent the next couple of minutes on his hands and knees gagging and heaving. The stuff burned his nose and throat and left an awful taste in his mouth. Finally, his stomach was completely empty. He tried to stand, but his head swam again and he collapsed into his own hot, sticky mess. He felt awful and stank of blood, vomit, and mud. He didn't feel like trying to get up again.

James had known some bad days in his life: Being in battle, watching his men die around him; the days after the twins had been born he had spent by Calissa's bed while she lay there unconscious, breathing in short gasps. But this one definitely took the cake. And the sun was still low in the sky, so he figured he had plenty more misery to look forward to. He thought that the best thing to do right now might be to just lay there until he died. He pushed that though aside. Maybe he still had something to live for. Calissa. He imagined her pretty face with the freckles and big acorn colored eyes. The children. He imagined them running around and laughing. They needed someone to protect them. But could they accept what he had become?

James picked himself up and started walking. The sky cleared and the rain stopped. He wanted to clean himself, but first he needed to eat. He reasoned that his new form could only accept raw meat. The thought was reprehensible, but it was either that or starving to death. He decided to walk against the breeze so his prey would not smell him coming. He sniffed the air and it opened up a whole new world for him. It was like he could smell the entire forest. Familiar scents like wet leaves were amplified, while all sorts of new ones came to him. With some effort his was able to filter out everything else (including the smell of himself) and focus on what he wanted. He picked up the scent of an animal and headed towards it.

He came upon a grazing doe. He crept up on it as quietly as he could. He was able to get pretty close before it turned towards him and its eyes grew wide with terror. It bolted and he took off after it. James was surprised by how powerful his new form was. He was running faster than he ever had before, but his prey was still getting away. Without thinking, he dropped down on all fours and realized he could move ever faster. He caught up with the young deer and tackled it. Before he realized what he was doing, he opened his mouth and bit into the animal's side. It was delicious. He held the thrashing animal down while he chewed and then took another big bite. James felt ecstasy, while at the same time he was appalled by what he was doing. He felt the nightmare starting to wash over him again and fought to push it away. Through an exhausting effort he managed to remain in control of himself. After lying on the ground for a minute he got up and looked down at the deer. It was nearly half gone. He turned in disgust and walked away.

Not much later he was pleased to find a stream. He waded in and set himself down on the rocky bottom. He leaned back so that he was up to his neck in water. The cold water soothed his tired, aching body and washed away the filth. It was the first pleasure James had felt since changing. He lay in the stream for a long time He gazed up at the tree branches swaying gently in the afternoon breeze. Past them were a few lazy clouds going along. One looked like a horse, and another reminded him of a sandwich. He heard the water running over rocks and the hshhhhh sound the leaves made when the wind moved through them. James felt like spending all day like this, but knew he could not. He had to get back to his family. When he sat up he noticed his reflection on the water's surface and was surprised to see what he really looked like. He had orange eyes, grey fur, and pointed ears. His first thought was that he looked repulsive. However, he did have to admit that his new form did have a sort of exotic appeal to it. If he was going to be stuck this way he might as well get used to it. He left the stream and shook himself out like a dog. Then James headed off to find his way home.


	6. Chapter 6

James arrived back home that evening. He had been worried about being spotted, but he saw no one except for a few militia members on patrol that he easily avoided. Everyone else was likely holed up inside, too afraid to venture out.

He approached his house. It seemed like a lifetime since he had been there last. He held up a paw to knock on the door and hesitated. Was he really going to go through with this? After a few more moments of deliberation he rapped on the door. It opened slightly.

"Who's there?" he heard Callisa ask. Hearing her voice made him feel hot and dizzy. And her scent. He had experienced it before, but never in such fidelity. It was like apples and cinnamon.

"It's me, James," he replied in a deep, gravely voice that was and was not his own. The roof of the house blocked out the moonlight so she couldn't see him.

"James? You sound different. What happened? Are you all right?"

James sighed. "Something has happened, but I'm all right."

"Come in, but be quiet. Emme and Erik are asleep. You've been gone for days. We were all worried sick. I thought that you might be… Well, it doesn't matter now. Let me get the lantern."

"Wait… before you do that, you need to know that I look…different."

"James, what's going on? You're making me nervous."

When he did not say anything she went to get the lantern. He heard her footsteps retreating down the hallway. Then he saw her coming back with the lantern. She help it up towards him and gasped.

"James, what happened to you?" she slowly ran her fingers through the fur on his face.

They were both startled by a racket outside. It was made of shouts, howls, gunfire, and other sounds of battle. James ran to the window and looked out to see that the town was being overrun by the beasts. He debated for a moment and then stormed out of the house, ready to bring the fight to the beasts. It was a mistake that would lead to his greatest regrets.

Once outside, James saw that the beasts had the militia members outnumbered, but they were not going down without a fight. The town had become a battlefield, and battlefields always have a lot of one thing: blood. James smelled the blood. He felt his consciousness fading away as the nightmare washed over him again. His mouth watered with an insatiable craving for violence, death, and the taste of living flesh.

James awoke curled up on the forest floor. He knew what he had done. He could still hear Calissa's last words: "I love you James…"

Throughout his years of military service James had been shot, stabbed, burned, and harmed in numerous other ways; however, all of that applied simultaneously a hundred times was nothing compared to the pain he felt now. He tried to unleash a cry of anguish, but it came out as a long, mournful howl. He kept it going until he finally collapsed onto the ground, panting. His grief was an enormous boulder that was crushing him. He felt like just lying there until he died.

"Over there!" James looked up to see a group of humans off in the distance. His survival instinct kicked in, and he took off in the opposite direction on all fours. He heard gunfire and bark splitting as he weaved his way through the trees.

After a few minutes of running, James stopped to catch his breath. It looked like he had escaped the beast hunters for the time being. Now that he had a moment to think he wondered what he was going to do. He had no home, friends, or family; he was being hunted like a wild animal. What did he have to live for? Turning around and running back to the hunters to get cut down in a spray of bullets crossed his mind, but he dismissed the idea. He had never taken the easy way out before and was not about to start now. His life had a purpose; what was it? He needed time to think.


	7. Chapter 7

James wandered the woods without knowing or caring where he was going. For awhile he had counted the days, but eventually gave up. All he knew was that it had been a very long time.

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One day, he noticed that the trees were starting to thin. Perhaps he was nearing Westfall. He was exhausted and decided to stop for some rest. He sat down with his back against a tree to close his eyes for just a minute.

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When he opened them he was not in the forest anymore. He was in some small town that he had never seen before. He tried to move but found that his movement was restricted. He had been placed in a stock with his arms and neck locked in place, which left him leaning over in an uncomfortable position.

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That night it rained. James's fur was quickly soaked. James longed to be back home, sitting in front of the fireplace with his family. He longed to hear the laughter of his children and his wife's sweet voice. He wanted to hold Calissa close and whisper to her that everything was going to be alright.

But none of that could ever happen again. And, James realized, it was all the Alliance's fault. They failed to protect the people of Elwyn forest. They were always too busy with more "important" things. James vowed that he would make them pay.

The end.


End file.
